VCV Over 60s

Veterans Cricket Victoria (VCV) – Playing Rules – Season 2018/19

The following Playing Rules shall apply to all Over 60 cricket matches conducted within Victoria (or other locations as defined) in accordance with the official VCV Match Fixture program published annually.

These rules were adopted at the VOSCA AGM held on July 17th, 2006, and have been amended at subsequent AGMs, as recorded in the Minutes of meetings.

1. Player Eligibility:

To be eligible, a Player must turn Sixty (60) years of age on or before 31 December of the playing year. The same applies for designated Over 70 games ie: A player must turn 70 during the year of competition.

2. Cricket attire:

Coloured or white team shirts and long trousers are permitted.

3. Start Time of Matches:

Matches shall commence at 11.00am and finish no later than 6.00pm. By agreement of the umpires or captains of both teams, playing times can be varied to accommodate ground or weather conditions.

4. Duration of Innings:

Each team shall bat for a maximum of forty (40) Overs, unless dismissed earlier.

5. Tea Break:

Tea shall be taken at the interval between the innings for a maximum period of thirty (30) minutes.

6. Bowling:

Bowlers may bowl a maximum of eight (8) overs in an innings. The fielding team must use a minimum of seven (7) bowlers in an innings except in circumstances where the batting side is dismissed in less than 40 overs. A fielding team may bowl up to a maximum of 6 overs from each end. With the agreement of captains, up to 10 overs can be bowled from each end.

7. Retirements:

A batsman must retire immediately following the stroke of scoring forty(40) runs and cannot bat again in that innings. Batsmen can retire before scoring 40 runs and can resume their innings once all listed batsmen have batted. Returning batsmen are to return in the order of retirement.

8. Umpires:

If no official umpire(s) available, both captains shall provide non-official umpires.

9. Modification to Rules:

Providing both Captains agree prior to the commencement of play, modifications to these rules are acceptable in consideration of any aspect of playing conditions e.g. If the team batting first is dismissed inside 40 Overs, the other team can bat on after passing the score to ensure batsmen and bowlers of both sides have an equal opportunity to play a full match.

10. Hot Weather:

Should the weather forecast in the local area of the match as shown on www.weatherzone.com.au at 6.00pm on the evening prior to the match, display a temperature of 36ºC or greater, the match will be abandoned. Simply highlight the Suburb/Town name or postcode to show the next day’s temperature. With the concurrence of both teams, a match can be played where the forecast temperature at 6.00pm the evening prior to the match is between 36ºC and 38ºC. Guidelines for the conduct of matches in hot conditions are in the Appendix*

10 (a) Lightning

Play must cease once thunder is heard less than 30 seconds after its related lightning flash. Play must not resume until the storm has passed and thunder is not heard within 30 seconds of lightning.

11. Twelve players per team:

A team can consist of twelve (12) players however only eleven fielders can be on the field at any one time.

12. No Balls:

A No Ball shall be called for any delivery that lands or bounces off the prepared turf or synthetic pitch in front of the batsman.

Unfair Delivery – any delivery that clearly passes above the batsman’s shoulder as judged from where the batsman takes his stance and as if he had been standing erect will be declared a No Ball. Any full toss delivery that clearly arrives above waist height shall be called a No Ball. If a fast or medium paced bowler bowls a bouncer above shoulder height a warning will be given. If repeated, the bowler will cease to bowlfor the remainder of the innings.

13. Maximum balls per Over:

A maximum of 9 balls will be allowed to be bowled in any given over. Naturally an over ceases after 6 legitimate balls have been bowled.

14. Wide Delivery:

Any off side or high or leg side delivery which in the opinion of the Umpire does not give the batsman a reasonable opportunity to score shall be called a Wide.

15. Boundaries:

The oval playing size is to be measured to a maximum 50 metre half circle from the stumps at each end to form the ends, and then joined by straight boundaries on the off and on sides.

16. Field Restrictions:

At all times, there are to be at least 3 fieldsmen other than the wicket keeper placed within an imaginary line half way to the boundary. At all times, there are to be no more than 6 fieldsmen placed on either side of the wicket. The umpires are to adjudicate on this and call no ball for breaches.

17. Defibrillator.

It is the responsibility of the home team to ensure a defibrillator is available at the ground.

18. Insurance

It is a condition of affiliation with VCV that each club takes out insurance for its players under Cricket Australia’s National Club Protection Program (offered by JLT Insurance).

Appendix.

All matches are to cease when the air temperature exceeds 38ºC. On hot days, captains should ensure the temperature is checked at hourly intervals. When the forecast temperature exceeds 36ºC, captains are to consider the following altered conditions to minimize the risk involved in playing: adjusting the starting time; reduced over games; additional drinks breaks; split innings; earlier retirement for batsmen; limit bowling spells to 3 overs maximum; regular rotation of fieldsmen.